Episode 4: Acorn Holdings

Welcome to the Mwango Capital Podcast where we discuss topical issues on African capital markets.In this episode, we host the Acorn Holdings CEO Edward Kirathe and CIO Raghav Gandhi for a discussion on the state of real estate investments in Kenya, mobilizing funds through the capital markets, and the firm’s recently-launched offering for retail investors, VUKA.Subscribe to get notified when we make a new post:Show Notes00:00:00 Introduction00:03:09 A brief career summary00:07:28 Acorn’s business model00:09:38 Acorn’s ownership structure00:13:49 REITs00:17:07 State of the Kenyan capital market00:24:11 Acorn’s Green Bond00:30:35 REITs structure00:34:46 Lessons and reflections from real estate investments00:39:48 VUKA00:46:27 Rent escalation, yields, and Green Bond certification00:56:50 Land management challenges00:59:12 Advantages of investing in REITs01:01:00 What’s next for Acorn01:04:33 REITs uptake01:05:33 Acorn’s team, impact, and organizational culture Get full access to The Mwango Weekly at mwangocapital.substack.com/subscribe